SERIES: Passing Time (#3)
AUTHOR: Tisienne Blue
E-MAIL: tisatko@msn.com
DISCLAIMER: Joss Whedon is the king of Buffyland... and also of Angelworld... I am NOT Joss.
RATING: NC-17 overall...
PAIRINGS: A/W/Liam
DISTRIBUTION: Charity can have it, as can Jen:) and anyone else I've ever said yes to. Also, okay for list archives. If you want it, and you are none of these, then ask, cuz I'll say yes.
FEEDBACK: is a good thing... trust me on this!!!
DEDICATIONS: to Di, for the challenge... also to: Natty, Cyndy, Witchy, Vampie, Maxine, Nutmeg, Mystra, Paula, and Angel S... thanks for the feedback, pets!!!*VBG*
NOTES: Takes place about 6 yrs in the future, so... 2007-ish??? * *= emphasis.
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She awoke quickly and with a great deal of confusion, wondering at the strong, warm arm resting across her stomach, and the soft, heated breaths she could feel against her neck. Liam, she realized, as the events of the previous evening unfolded in her head. She blushed for a moment as her mind revisited the sight of his long, hard body entirely devoid of clothing, and she swallowed hard as she glanced swiftly about the room, noticing only then what she hadn't paid any attention to the night before.
Well, two things, really. Number one was that the door had apparently been open all night-- she shuddered, thinking of what Angel would have done if he had chanced to look in on them after all his warnings about the human version of himself-- and number two? She hadn't thought about it earlier-- at all-- but the man had no clothes that weren't scorched and ragged, and... Somehow, she just didn't see Angel letting Liam share his wardrobe. There was nothing else for it, she decided as she slowly and quietly slipped from beneath Liam's strong, warm arm-- she'd have to take him shopping. She grinned to herself as she made her way down the hall to her own room after closing his door, and wondered if he'd show the same predeliction towards dark, somber colours as his vampiric counterpart. Somehow, she wasn't sure, mostly because she had a sneaking suspicion that Angel's mode of dress was yet another way in which he punished himself for the things he'd done while soul-less.
Not that she could particularly blame him... after all, he *had* been evil, and vicious, and horrible for over a hundred years, but... enough was *enough* already! It wasn't as if he got points for looking like he was in mourning all the time! She mulled it over while she brushed her teeth and hair, and as she pulled off her pajamas and dressed in a simple flowered dress in deep tones of green and burgundy and blue, and... she thought that he *might* own *one* sweater that wasn't black. She was fairly certain that she'd seen *something* off-white in his closet once, but... still, monochromatic! Would it *kill* him to wear something *blue* once in a while? Well, she decided, grinning as she left her room and started down the main staircase of the hotel, at least she'd have a chance to see what he *could* look like, because she'd decided... even if Liam *wanted* to wear black and *only* black, she wasn't going to *let* him!
She skipped the rest of the way down the stairs and into the lobby, smiling at the dark-haired girl sitting at the main desk. "Hi, Cordy," she chirped, setting about making a fresh pot of coffee, "How's your day going?"
Cordelia smiled back at the redhead who was doing more than she knew to pull the broody-one out of his constant vampire funk, watching the girl's every movement with interest. She figured that if she paid close enough attention, then one day maybe *she'd* be able to make coffee that was more... coffee-like, as opposed to sludge-y. Not that she particularly *wanted* to be the Queen of Coffee-land, but... it could be a useful skill. "Pretty good, Will," she finally replied, a slight giggle escaping her lips, "If you don't count the bags under my eyes... My new neighbor kept me up all night."
Willow grinned to herself before smoothing a shocked expression over her face and turning. "Cordelia!" she cried, sounding surprised, "You barely even *know* the man!"
The Seer rolled her eyes at her friend. "Playing *music*, Willow. He was playing *music* all night long... and *loud*, too!" She grumbled, staring longingly at the pot that was slowly filling. "I so *need* coffee right now, it's not even funny..." She stood up then, mug in hand, and started towards the redhead, only to stop in shock when she heard Angel's voice shouting loudly. "What?" she said, staring at her boss, bewildered. "Geez, Angel," she sneered, taking in the sight of him clad only in sweatpants and a t-shirt, "Casual much?"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Liam woke up Willow-less. He supposed that he should have been used to it by then, seeing as he'd been doing so for the last five years, but... he could still feel her warmth on the mattress; smell her hair on the pillow beside him-- and somehow, that just made it worse. He knew, intellectually, that this Willow was not *his* Willow, but emotionally? Well, emotionally, his heart was crying out for her-- even more than his body was. He had seen the desire in her eyes the night before, felt it in the slight trembling of her hand when he'd taken it in his own, and... If this world's Liam-- *Angel*, he reminded himself-- if this Angel didn't have the sense to recognize sheer perfection when he saw it, well... *he* *did*. He'd have to move slowly and carefully though, he told himself. *This* Willow wasn't even ready to admit how she felt about her 'friend', so... maybe he could use that to his advantage? Yes, he decided-- as he rolled from the bed and left his room, in search of the girl he would love-- he could. He would be her friend, and slowly move closer and closer to her, until she didn't even realize that she'd come to need him as much as she did the air she breathed, and then... Well, *then* he would make his move. He smirked a bit, hearing her laughing voice floating up to him from the floor below, and followed it. She'd never know what hit her.
He started down the grand staircase, a warm smile on his lips, only to stop, shocked for a moment, by what he saw in the lobby of the old hotel. "Willow!" he shouted, terrified, "Get away from her!" He flew down the stairs, almost falling in his haste. "Don't you dare *touch* her!" he yelled, his fury and horror apparent in both voice and eyes. He'd be damned, he knew, if he let that evil *bitch* touch his woman! "Get the *fuck* *away* *from* *her*, Queen C!"
He was so caught up in his fear and anger at seeing the brunette anywhere *near* his Willow that he didn't notice the edge of the rug that ultimately proved to be his downfall... literally, and he stared up at them in confusion when two sets of baffled eyes-- one brown, one green-- focused on his fallen form.
Cordelia had no idea of what was going on. Why was Angel in the lobby wearing...? Why was he looking at her like that? Why in the *hell* had he called her Queen C?-- He hadn't even called her that when she'd still been in high school and had worn the nickname like a badge of honour! And most importantly, to *her* way of thinking, why was he flushed... and *breathing* hard? "Huh?" she demanded, her brow wrinkling in consternation. "I mean, okay, it's your hotel; you can wear whatever you want!" Her eyes flew to the bottom of the staircase when she heard Angel's voice... again... coming from that direction, then returned to the form laying on the floor in front of her. "Ohhh..." she moaned softly, "I don't feel so good..." One hand rose quickly to her head, and her knees buckled as she began to collapse.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Angel was irritable, and he knew it, but he chalked most of it up to lack of sleep. After all, he didn't think he'd managed to close his eyes for more than five minutes at a time since he'd crawled into bed. He kept seeing pictures in his mind, of Willow and the other Angel, and even though he knew that-- in reality-- they were both dressed on the other man's bed, that *wasn't* what his brain was showing him. No, for some reason, his mind was convinced that the two might as well have been naked, and going at it-- because that particular nightmare of a sight was what kept parading behind his eyes.
The outcome, of course, was that he'd kept waking up and listening intently for any change in the entwined heartbeats he could hear down the hall. He'd actually gotten up to check on them a few times, although his relief at finding them in the exact same state they'd been in originally hadn't stopped the dreams. So when he'd heard the well-known-- and well-loved-- sounds of his Willow moving down the hall to her own room and then, a few minutes later, to the lobby, he'd hoped to be able to catch just a *few* hours of shut-eye, but... As soon as he'd actually managed to settle himself down, he'd heard the sounds of the bastard out in the hallway, too.
He sighed deeply to himself and got up, pulling a pair of black slacks and a matching sweater from his closet and hurriedly tugging them over his nakedness. He was just starting towards the main stairway when he heard the other Angel start shouting, and he put on a burst of vampiric speed, reaching the lobby just in time to see his 'other-self' fall flat on his face. He barely kept himself from laughing out loud, but he forced his face into its usual stoic lines and glanced quickly around the room. "What's going on here?" he finally asked, his eyes widening when Cordelia stared at him, her shock apparent, then clutched her head and began to fall to the floor. "Shit!"
He dashed to her, leaping over the human version of himself, and caught her before she could hit the ground.
Liam stared, his eyes growing even wider, at the sight of the vampire propping up the brunette, before he transferred his gaze to the redhead. "Willow," he asked intently as he struggled to his feet, "Are you alright?" His hands gripped her shoulders tightly, and when she just shook her head in confusion, he pulled her tightly against him, his lips crushing hers harshly. "I... I was so *worried*," he explained tightly after releasing her mouth, ignoring the others in the lobby now that he had the girl in his arms. "When I saw her so *close* to you, I..." He pulled back slightly, staring deep into her glazed eyes. "But you're okay... she didn't hurt you!" He knew he sounded almost as relieved as he actually was, but he just didn't care. "She... she *didn't* hurt you... right?"
Angel was caught between two very strong impulses, the first of which was to beat the merry hell out of the human prick who was touching *his* woman, and the second of which was to gently place Cordelia on the couch, and *then* beat the merry hell out of the same bastard. Fortunately for him, he didn't have to do either, because Willow reacted first.
"Liam!" she almost shrieked, disregarding the part of her that wanted nothing more than to have him kiss her again, "Stop it!" She forced herself to push away from him, and chose not to comment-- for the moment-- on the pain in his eyes. "Is she alright?" she asked Angel softly, moving to his side and looking closely at the girl he was holding up.
Angel nodded shortly, lifting his Seer up and carrying her to the most comfortable couch. "She'll be fine," he said softly, smiling at the redheaded girl, "You know how it is with the visions, so..."
Willow nodded and crossed to her desk, pulling the industrial-sized bottle of Ibuprofen from the bottom drawer. "Here," she said, tossing it to her boss, "I'll get the water." She walked quickly into Angel's office and opened the small refrigerator, sighing in relief when she saw the small bottle behind his blood bags. She'd hoped there'd be one, since Cordy'd drank the last one in the fridge out front the day before... besides, she'd needed to get out of that room for a minute, because... The way he'd kissed her, and in front of *Angel*, too! He'd actually made her head spin! His lips, soft and warm against hers... his hands, clutching desperately at her back... It had been almost impossible for her to push him away, and only the fact that Angel was there had made her strong enough to do so. And she had to *stay* strong, she told herself sternly, because... she wasn't the Willow he was yearning for, the Willow he loved. And he... he wasn't Angel; much as he was like him, he wasn't *him*. "Oh my Gods..." she whispered to herself in the silence of Angel's office, the realization almost crushing her with its suddenness, "It... it's not just a *crush*..." She forced herself to breathe and walked slowly back into the lobby.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
He watched his redheaded witch walk into his office before glancing quickly at the slightly shuddering form of his Seer. She seemed to be paler than usual, and he almost thought he could smell fatigue pouring from her skin. Of course, that tiny touch of weariness was close to buried under the usual pain-scent of her latest vision, and the pervasive stench of her shock. "And what in the hell did you think *you* were doing?" he growled at the human-him.
Liam truly tried to respond, but... he was entirely thrown by the sight of any version of him-- vampire or not-- providing aid to Queen C. His mind just couldn't seem to comprehend it. It somehow just didn't seem possible to him, especially since this world's Willow seemed to be somehow attached to this vampire-him. He'd been able to accept that part of things, seeing as he and *his* Willow had been connected at first sight, but... *this*? This he just didn't get. "How..." he finally managed to say, "What..." He shook his head, more confused and frightened than he'd ever imagined being.
Angel sneered at him in disgust, hardly able to believe that his witch could be interested in such a... moron. Of course, she *had* pushed him away when he'd kissed her, so... But was that because she didn't like him that way, or because she didn't like *them*? Maybe their looks didn't appeal to her? He frowned slightly as he realized that in all the years he'd known her, she'd never shown any interest in him beyond that of his 'very good friend' and girl friday... not even when the Powers had afixed his soul to him permanently. But no, he told himself then, he *was* her type. In fact, he was *exactly* her type! But that would mean that this other Angel was, too, and... he really didn't like *that* idea at all, but...
Liam saw the strange mix of emotions on the vampire's face and wondered at it, mostly because he'd never known a demon to show such... concern, and for *humans*, no less. Because now that he'd had a chance to recover from his shock, he realized that that was exactly what the brunette girl on the couch was. In *this* world, Queen C was human. "I... I'm sorry," he tried to explain, "But where I'm from, she's..." he gestured to the slowly rousing girl, "She's... dangerous..." His eyes flew to the office door when he saw the redhead reappear. "Willow..." he almost whispered, his heart leaping again at the very sight of her, and he took a step in her direction before being halted by the warnings in her eyes, and the vampire's growl.
Willow darted a swift, displeased glace at the human man before quickly moving to the side of the couch, and staring worriedly at Cordelia. "Shouldn't she be back with us by now?" she asked quietly, her free hand coming to rest on Angel's strong shoulder.
He covered her small, warm hand with his own larger, cooler one, and smiled up at her. "She's *fine*, Will... She's coming around even as we speak." He nodded in Cordelia's direction, and when the brunette finally moaned and tried to sit up, he moved closer to her. "Here, Cordy," he said softly, passing her the three tablets he'd shaken from the bottle of pain reliever, and then the bottle of water Willow handed him. "What is it this time?"
Cordelia stared at him for a moment, wondering if she'd dreamed the whole thing, but then she caught a glimpse of movement from the corner of her eye, and she gasped. "Angel! There's a... he's a.. you..." She closed her eyes, willing the room to stop spinning.
The redhead almost smiled at her friend's confused comment, but decided that she really didn't have any room to, what with incoherent rambling usually being *her* forte. "It's a long story, Cordy," she said, when Angel didn't seem to want to answer the girl, "But this is Liam, and... he's going to be staying with us for a while..." She shook her head at the girl's wide-eyed gape, but smiled softly none the less.
Cordelia thought for a moment about what her redheaded friend had just said, and swallowed the pills Angel had handed her before she struggled to her feet and approached the human version of her boss. "So... Liam, huh?" She walked around him in an appraising circle before stopping in front of him once more. "You're gonna have to tell me what all the *yelling* was about, but... not right now. For now," she said, wearily, "I just want to know... Are you from the world with no shrimp?"
Liam couldn't help himself. Of everything he might have expected to hear from the human Queen C, that was *definitely* not even on the *list*, and... he burst out laughing. "No shrimp..." he gasped, when he was able to speak again, "No *shrimp*?!" He fell into a nearby chair, his head in his hands, still chuckling wildly.
"What?" the Seer asked, annoyed, "What's so funny?" She turned to face Angel and Willow, hoping for some sort of enlightenment, only to find them struggling to hold back their own amusement. "Oh, *fine*," she grumbled, "I get the shock of my life, and my so-called 'friends' *laugh* at me! Perfect!"
Willow smiled widely, but after a few minutes, realized that they'd lost track of the important thing. "Cordelia," she said abruptly, "Vision?"
The brunette looked up from her contemplation of the lobby rug, and put her thoughts of revenge on hold-- temporarily. "Oh, right-- vision! Angel, you need to go to the Oracles! There's some big, stinky badness coming, but you need some information that they have to give you in person." She sneered for a moment. "I guess they think their own personal scratch-n-sniff hotline to my *head* isn't secure enough," she mumbled, still annoyed.
Angel nodded and went upstairs to grab his coat. When he returned to the lobby, it was to find the three of them just... staring at each other. "Are... are you going to be alright here?" he asked, his gaze flitting back and forth between Seer and witch.
Willow smiled, knowing that he was worried about leaving them with Liam, but... "We'll be *fine*, Angel," she told him, moving closer and giving him a tight hug. "Now, *go*! Give them my best, okay?" she smirked knowingly, "Oh, and give me your credit card."
His brow furrowed slightly, but he pulled the card from his wallet and handed it to her. "Do I even want to know...?" he started, before stopping himself. "Never mind," he said, sighing deeply when her eyes flickered over to Liam, "I'll find out when I get the bill." He leaned down and kissed her softly on the cheek, ignoring her slight gasp, and Cordelia's. "Just... be careful!" he murmured in her ear, "I still don't trust him."
"I... I will..." she said, a bit breathlessly, to his retreating back as he headed for the basement and the tunnels.
Cordelia watched in amazement as her normally reserved, taciturn boss kissed her friend's cheek, and once he was gone, "Will..." she said quietly, "What was *that* all about?"
The redhead just shook her head, still a bit dazed, herself. "I have no idea, Cordy," she said, her fingertips rising involuntarily to the spot his lips had touched, "No idea..."
Liam knew exactly what it was about, but he'd be damned if he was going to clue the girls to it... besides, Willow was smart enough to figure it out for herself, and if this 'Cordelia' was anything at *all* like her counterpart in *his* world, then she'd have that little mystery solved faster than he'd like. "So," he began, just as the brunette girl started to speak again. They both stopped, staring at each other, until he half-smiled and nodded for her to continue.
"So," Cordelia said again, "Credit card, Will?"
Willow nodded, her eyes still a bit unfocused. "Liam's gonna need some clothes."
The brunette's eyes flashed back and forth between her friend and 'Liam', widening when she realized exactly what Angel's little display *and* the human man's behaviour meant. Ohhh... she thought, a little bit of wickedness suddenly showing in her expression, she got it! But did Willow...? Apparently not, she decided, but... she would *soon*... one way or another! A smirk crossed her lips then, and she almost laughed out loud. Personally, she was rooting for Broody, but... he hadn't had a challenge for a while, so... might as well make it fun! "Come on, Liam," she ordered, starting towards the stairs, "Let's outfit you with something of Angel's so that Willow can take you shopping!" She paused when he started to protest. "What? You want to *share* with the brood-master general?" She let her expression insinuate something beyond just clothes, and smirked again when he groaned almost inaudibly. "So, get *cracking*, Mister!" she demanded, before turning and running up the stairs with him right behind her, leaving a very confused witch standing alone in the lobby of the old hotel wondering just what in the *hell* was going on!